The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-24
Clerks Who, if Thrown Upon Their Own Re-
sources, Would Be Certain to Develop
Business Capacities Of Very High Order.
Abolition of the Marine Corps Among
the CertaintieS of the Near Future.
The Excellent Reasons an Applicant for Pen
sion Had for Remembering the Date Of
Ingersoll's Wedding-Capital Notes.
BURIED TALENTS.

Competent Business Men in Clerks Posi-
tions-The Case of MIR. w. c. Hin.
Special to the indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, July 23-It is an axiom which
needs no demonstration that there are buried in
the departmental service of the government in
Washington great many men who are tied
down by the salaries which they receive regu-
larry every month, who would make names and
fortunes for themselves if they should shake the
dust of Washington from their feet The wives
of many OF these mon are potent factors in keep
inc them here. It is a well-known fact that
there is scarcely woman in Washington who
can be indn:ed to leave the city, no matter what
material advantages might be secured by her
husband if he should strike on. for himself.
Occasionally there is a man who has been
relieved from the service of the government
either voluntarily, or otherwise. who has shown,
since his official career was shut off. that he
born for better things than an annual salary of
81, 400 year About the year 1870, Congress
man George W. Julian, of Indiana, secured the
appointment of W. c. Hill. young man from
Wayne county, in that State, clerkship in
the census Office. Hill was subsequently trans
ferred to the Land Office, where he passed
excellent examination and promoted to the
$1,000 grade This position he held for several
years, until at last he was dropped for some
political reason. Later it was found that
mistake had been made and
he was offered his position back again. but he
said that he had had enough of the government
service and declined the reappointment Dur
ing his term of Office he had occupied his spare
time in the study of law, and after his dismissal
he opened Office q lard attorney and in
that connection established a newspaper which
started the crusade against the land grant rail-
roads which has since resulted in several land
forfeiture bills in Congress. Hill had very little
money when he started business for himself
but he that there was excellent opportu-
nifty to increase his bank account by deals in
real estate There were number of old land
attorneys who had great deal of money tied up
in land scrip. They were anxious to unload,
and we're delighted when Hill came into the
market as buyer. He was ready to take every
thing that offered at figures which he
thought gave him chance to make !turn
His associates, who had not his nerve, thought
that he insane. but they took his money and
his notes in exchange for their scrip.
For about a year he had exceedingly
hard time meet his obligations but at last his
turn came, and money began to roll in upon
him His hundreds turned to thousands. and
those who had thought him fool began to look
upon him genius. He had occasional re-
verses, but throughout everything he showed
wonderful nerve and courage. Two or three
years ago, when the real estate mania first
broke out, he was among the first to see that the
northwest part of Washington was the field for
the speculator. Mre. Mckee Dunn had pur-
chased the Columbia College property, the
heights above the city, for $50 600 Hill gave her
nearly as much more for her bargain. Again his
friends thought he had lost his mind, but he
cleared $50. 900 by the trade, and again
placed as a genius of the first magnitude He
secured ground floor place in the Gogebic iron
Mines in Michigan, and caught the Seattle
boom, in Washington Territory, by the right
end. In fact, he has been phenomenally suc-
cessful in all his speculations. and instead of
sitting at a desk in the Land Office in constant
fear of dismissal he can swing in hammock all
day. if he wants to, and calmly cut coupons
from the bonds which his judgment has made
for him. He is estimated to be worth 81. 00O, 900,
and his wealth is increasing daily.